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"Neither Ant & Dec nor ITV wanted to compromise the quality of the show and therefore felt it was better to rest the series next year.

"They will instead bring the show back in 2020, bigger and better than ever."

Ant says: “My recovery is going very well and for that to continue having spoken to Dec and ITV, I have made the decision to take the rest of the year off.

"I’d like to thank both Dec and ITV for their continued support and I look forward to getting back to work in the new year.”

Dec adds: “Whilst I am obviously sad at the thought of being without my best friend in Australia this year, I am proud of the work Ant has been doing privately and I am fully supportive of his decision.

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ITV Director of Television Kevin Lygo said: "ITV is completely supportive of Ant taking as much time as he needs in his recovery and of this mutual decision to rest Takeaway in 2019.

"Ant is clearly making good progress and we wish him all the very best and look forward to him returning to ITV next year.

"An announcement on I'm A Celebrity plans will be made in due course."

McPartlin has made a rare social media appearance, signing off a tweet with his TV partner Declan Donnelly.

The presenter stepped back from TV commitments and public appearances following a drink-driving charge earlier this year.

The Ant and Dec star has been absent in recent months from his joint Twitter account with Donnelly, who frequently ends his posts with a "D", but a new message has been signed off by them both as "A&D".

The tweet, sent to a Twitter account for a terminally ill 10-year-old called Jess Shepherd, read: "Hey @RoarForJess, just a little tweet to send you huge love and a big ROAR!!!

"Big hugs and lots of love from us both. A&D xxx."

A response from the account said that "this means so much" and that "Jess will love this".

(Image: PA)

Jess was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that mostly affects babies and young children, seven years ago.

An online campaign called Roar For Jess was launched last year in a bid to raise money to send her to America for treatment.

However, an update on Jess's Go Fund Me page last month said there is "no more that can be done" for her, and that the funds raised so far will be used to "help her make some magical memories with her brother and sister".

Ant and Dec had previously been tweeted by a supporter of the campaign, who wrote: "Jess is a beautiful little girl who has bravely fought cancer for 7 of her 10 years, sadly cancer is winning and she is receiving palliative care.

"She has a wish to receive a tweet from you both to cheer her up.

"It's such a small wish to grant so please tweet @RoarForJess."

McPartlin, who was banned from the road for 20 months and fined £86,000 after pleading guilty to driving while more than twice the legal limit, is believed to be returning to TV later this year.